senator reid paid tribute to the late senator. riendship i value so very, very much. he was a colleague but really a friend. he helped me so many times, helped me do my best here, my best has been with the help of him. as i mentioned briefly yesterday, he always had so much confidence in me. years ago, years ago when i was a senator struggling, like all senators here, he told me two decades ago that i would be running the senate someday. i never even contemplated, thought about that, desired that. things have worked out that he was right. senator inouye is one of the finest men i have ever known. a real american hero. my friend who is on the floor, the assistant leader, has heard me talk about my mentor, michael callahan. taught me in high school, helped me with money as i was going to law school. and he was on a pension. he was a disabled veteran. he was just such a good friend of mine. he and senator inouye were friends. they talked about what it's like to not have a limb. callahan's was a leg. inouye's was an arm. and they talked and they were friends. michael call